Best way to regain strength after a long time off?

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usernameforme
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Best way to regain strength after a long time off?

Postby usernameforme » Wed Aug 22, 2012 5:36 pm

Hey guys,

I would like to hear your opinions on the best way to build up strength again after you've lost it all with a few months off the bike. Is it just a case of getting the hard yards in or is there an easy way out? Should I just be ridding hard and hope for the best :twisted: or is there a more efficient way to do it?

usernameforme
Posts: 1032
Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2011 7:01 pm
Location: Canberra

Best way to regain strength after a long time off?

Postby usernameforme » Wed Aug 22, 2012 5:37 pm

Hey guys,

I would like to hear your opinions on the best way to build up strength again after you've lost it all with a few months off the bike. Is it just a case of getting the hard yards in or is there an easy way out? Should I just be ridding hard and hope for the best :twisted: or is there a more efficient way to do it? Interested to hear personal experiences, I'm sure we've all gone through this :wink:

Marty Moose
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Re: Best way to regain strength after a long time off?

Postby Marty Moose » Wed Aug 22, 2012 5:41 pm

Do some base miles thousand ks or so then hit some SE training twice a week for about 8 Weeks.

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Ozkaban
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Re: Best way to regain strength after a long time off?

Postby Ozkaban » Wed Aug 22, 2012 5:45 pm

Depends on your goals. If it's to get fit and be able to ride lots of kms fairly quickly, then just get back into it slowly pushing distance and speed back up to where they were. No shortcuts there...

If it's for competition, then best talk to a trainer, but it's not likely to be that different from above but chucking in intervals, etc.

Cheers,
Dave

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Reman
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Re: Best way to regain strength after a long time off?

Postby Reman » Wed Aug 22, 2012 9:18 pm

It takes a while for your body to revert from both a trained or untrained state.

Basic rule of thumb is that after a layoff you can get back to your former level in about half the lay off time. The first time is always the hardest but you'll find you'll get back into the swing of things pretty quickly.

usernameforme
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Re: Best way to regain strength after a long time off?

Postby usernameforme » Wed Aug 22, 2012 9:20 pm

Marty Moose wrote:SE training twice a week
Sorry for this stupid question :oops: but what does SE stand for?
Ozkaban wrote:Depends on your goals. If it's to get fit and be able to ride lots of kms fairly quickly
Thats my goal exactly...

What is the difference between "competition" fitness and "fit" fitness? I may be misinterpreting what you have written, but it sounds like that you can take shortcuts for "competition" fitness? Or is it that for competition I need to have some areas higher than others so I can be more competitive with people who are actually stronger overall than me? My plan is just to do some rolling hills and hill repeats regularly and the odd long distance flat & hard ride once in a month or so.

Marty Moose
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Re: Best way to regain strength after a long time off?

Postby Marty Moose » Wed Aug 22, 2012 10:52 pm

30~50 rpm uphill 2=5% grade 1to2ks long.Done just below you threshold. 3 to 4 repeats to start with watch your knees.

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foo on patrol
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Re: Best way to regain strength after a long time off?

Postby foo on patrol » Fri Aug 24, 2012 4:13 pm

No such thing as an easy way out! :roll:

You start right back where you left off and build up! :wink:

Foo
I don't suffer fools easily and so long as you have done your best,you should have no regrets.
Goal 6000km

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toolonglegs
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Re: Best way to regain strength after a long time off?

Postby toolonglegs » Fri Aug 24, 2012 4:52 pm

There are no shortcuts... I had 15 months off the bike, got back on April last year and I am still coming "back". You can optimize it by doing the right type of training and riding 5 or 6 days a week. But it is always going to take the work. All depends how much you lost.

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